Bernie Sanders Lays Out His Requirements For Endorsing HRC

[maddiepaddy]

Bernie Sanders Lays Out His Requirements For Endorsing Hillary Clinton

Marina Fang
Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post
www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-endorsement_us_56f45bf0e4b014d3fe22b4a7


Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) insisted he’ll stay in the presidential race, but outlined conditions under which he would endorse Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton “if I can’t make it.”

Sanders, who badly trails Clinton in delegates for the Democratic nomination, said Wednesday that his chief priorities include making sure the party embraces his anti-establishment platform and expands its base.

“If I can’t make it — and we’re going to try as hard as we can until the last vote is cast — we want to completely revitalize the Democratic Party and make it a party of the people rather than one of large campaign contributors,” Sanders said in an interview on the progressive Web show “The Young Turks.”

Sanders also listed policy demands he would make of Clinton, including a single-payer health care system, a $15 an hour minimum wage, tougher regulation of the finance industry, closing corporate tax loopholes and “a vigorous effort to address climate change.”

“I am very worried. I mean, I talk to these scientists. This planet is in serious danger. You can’t cuddle up to the fossil fuel industry — you’ve got to take them on,” Sanders said, alluding to Clinton’s ties to oil and gas companies.

He also expressed concern about Clinton’s consistency on policy issues.

“What we need is to create a movement which holds elected officials accountable and not let them flip” on issues, Sanders said.

Sanders trails Clinton in delegates, despite recent primary election and caucus victories. Some Democratic leaders have said they fear that if Clinton becomes the nominee, she may not pick up the support of Sanders’ progressive base.

Sanders’ pitch to Democratic voters has involved bringing his policy differences with Clinton to the forefront, labeling her as an establishment candidate and questioning her beliefs on issues important to the party’s base. Clinton would likely have to adopt more of Sanders’ policy positions to win over his supporters.

One factor that may propel Sanders supporters into Clinton’s camp in November would be real estate mogul Donald Trump, if he wins the Republican nomination.

According to recent polls, Trump has abysmally low favorability ratings among women and Latinos. Both groups have frequently been the subject of his attacks, and both tend to vote Democratic.

But Sanders stressed on Wednesday that he does not intend to cede the stage to Clinton yet.

Some Democrats have called on him to exit the race so the party can begin strategizing for the general election. The New York Times reported last week that even President Barack Obama privately suggested it was time for Sanders to step aside.

“We are in this thing to win,” Sanders said.

[maddiepaddy]

So he now has a list of demands that HRC will have to fulfill in order to receive his endorsement should he lose. I swear my disdain for this guy grows exponentially by the day.

[eponinepontmercy]

So despite his platform not winning him enough states or delegates to be the nominee, Clinton still has to adopt the whole thing?

Old man, you are losing. STAAHP.

[katietornado]

Kind of hilarious to see this vs. the Republican side of things.

Republican requirements for endorsement:

Electability in the general
Not a disgusting shitpig
On good terms
Isn't trying to turn the US into a theocracy
Not alienating literally anyone who's not a white man
Not Donald Trump

[heyjude]

His only fucking demand should be saving the nation from el Trumpo or that other ninny Cruz. Jfc.

[elleblue]

Mar 25, 2016 11:55:59 GMT -5 heyjude said:

His only fucking demand should be saving the nation from el Trumpo or that other ninny Cruz. Jfc.

Right? If his supporters don't get on board and screw up this election because "principles", I'm going to be apoplectic. 

[sangria]

OMFFFFGGGGG GTFO BERNIE

[OscarQ]

Okay, I haven't read this yet but my first response to the title? Ha ha ha! Get the F over yourself Bernie! List of demands? Since when does the loser get to make a demand? Now, back to the top to read.

ETA:  Okay I read it and made a series of spluttering noises and arm flails that I cannot adequately render into words. He makes my brain hurt.  

God damn it Bernie.  Come listen to some grownups over here.  I know you're Mr. Outsider but in the real world - where the rest of us live - you have to tackle problems in bits and pieces.  And the fundamental building block of accomplishing anything is retaking the House and Senate.  So you need to support down ballot races in order to get the people in place who will tackle all those issues.  Until you bodies in the House and Senate that will support CFR, real environmental initiatives, a $15 minimum wage, etc - your list of demands is all pipe dreams.

[TR]

Mar 25, 2016 11:51:22 GMT -5 katietornado said:

Kind of hilarious to see this vs. the Republican side of things.

Republican requirements for endorsement:

Electability in the general
Not a disgusting shitpig
On good terms
Isn't trying to turn the US into a theocracy
Not alienating literally anyone who's not a white man
Not Donald Trump

FTFY because quite a few have endorsed him

[maddiepaddy]

I'm really starting to feel like he's trying to hijack the Democratic party. It's incredibly frustrating that this guy who didn't call himself a Dem until roughly a year ago has inserted himself into an establishment that he constantly rails on. I guess I kinda understand how the true repubs feel :/

Upon losing the primary, his only job is to support the party nominee and advance the party's agenda. It will be the least he can do after gracing the world with Bernie Bros while sucking up party resources for the past year. 

[mominatrix]

this is a huge shift from previous statements he's made



...so he wants her to be held accountable for not changing her mind. But him, not so much.

[eclaires]

Bernie is like full on Tea Party at this point.

[Awkward]

I feel like this about sums it up.

[blink]

I'm pretty freaking fed up with hearing how bad the establishment is. I can see what anti-establishment is getting with the GOP and I don't want any of that.

[jojoandleo]

"Hey, HRC, my platform wasn't good enough to even win the DNC Primary, but now you need to adopt it to get my supporters, even though my policies (which again, did not even sway enough democrats to vote for me) would completely alienate people on the opposite side of the aisle."

[aurora]

If he still wants primary votes, he can't concede much at this stage. I think he'll still endorse her for the general. He's a politician. He knows how the game is played.

[AAM2012]

I just hope once he FINALLY drops he at least will STFU ...but at this point I'm not holding my breath.

[ESF]

"I will only endorse the winner of she adopts the proposals that the voters have rejected."

Go fuck yourself.

[ESF]

Also I'm fucking pissed at some of these demands as he is implying Clinton isn't already proposing these things. Hillary has a tough proposal for regulating the finance industry that's much more detailed than his.

Again, he can go fuck himself.

[jeaniebueller]

Yes, this guy totally seems like the type who will work with his opponents. Lmao.

[heyjude]

And people wonder why we are so BEC over here.

THIS IS WHY!!!!!!

[5kcandlesinthewind]

Mar 25, 2016 11:58:07 GMT -5 elleblue said:

Mar 25, 2016 11:55:59 GMT -5 heyjude said:

His only fucking demand should be saving the nation from el Trumpo or that other ninny Cruz. Jfc.

Right? If his supporters don't get on board and screw up this election because "principles", I'm going to be apoplectic. 

I was listening to this week's 538 podcast, and Nate Silver & crew pointed out that while 33% of his supporters have said (now) that they won't vote for her, that's out of only 40% of democrats, which means it's really something like 13%.  So that made me feel a little less rage-y. 

And you know, his "requirements" (gag) all sound an awful lot like things HIS WHINY BABY SORE LOSER ASS SHOULD CHAMPION IN THE GODDAMN SENATE.

[intentionalsnarkshark]

Talk about entitled mansplaining.

[pixy0stix]

I lost my shit halfway through. His climate change plan is fucking laughable. Clinton seems to have a well rounded plan.

I hate him. I'm at that point where I can admit that I hate him.

[elleblue]

Mar 25, 2016 14:35:44 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I lost my shit halfway through. His climate change plan is fucking laughable. Clinton seems to have a well rounded plan.

I hate him. I'm at that point where I can admit that I hate him.

Dude. My mother is the sweetest most polite woman I know and while talking to her on the phone last night I could tell he's totally BEC for her too! lol

[secretlyevil]

Mar 25, 2016 12:11:08 GMT -5 sangria said:

OMFFFFGGGGG GTFO BERNIE

This! I am more than a little angry that he has "demands."

[downtoearth]

I'm sure, because HRC is not new to this or new to compromise, that she'll have prepared some statements about thanking him for being in the race and bringing awareness to financial issues and then point to her already formed platform that shows that she already plans to work toward some of Bernie's goals in an incremental platform. She won't win over the ones who think she is the devil incarnate, but I'm starting to think that doesn't matter. On the right the people who think she's the most dishonest also think Obama is the worst and the ones on the left are a small percentage who will have to consider "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" just because Bernie isn't in the race.

[chedifuen]

I guess I'm just glad he's finally starting to understand that math and realize he'll need to get out eventually. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm so fucking sick of his bullshit. GTFO!